


Death Follows Us

by Kendrickhier



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Angst, Canon Divergence, F/F, Happy Ending, Kara Danvers appearance, Temporary Character Death, Time Travel, life is strange au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-29
Updated: 2017-12-29
Packaged: 2019-02-23 16:33:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13194108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kendrickhier/pseuds/Kendrickhier
Summary: It wasn’t supposed to be this way. Alex wasn’t supposed to have killed Astra, and seeing it happen is so distressing that it gives her the ability to control the flow of time. With her newfound powers she is determined to keep Astra from dying, and make sure J’onn survives too.





	Death Follows Us

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by Life is Strange, the original game. The initial concept had some Final Destination in there too, but I don’t think anything is left of that (except the title). Without further ado, I hope you enjoy this at least as much as I enjoyed writing it!

This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. She’d almost been successful in talking Astra down, had been so close she could see the change in Astra’s eyes and if she’d just had one more second, just one, it would have worked. But then J’onn attacked. He threw Astra off her and Alex can’t find it in her to blame him; if Astra’d held him by his throat she’d intervene too.

She was still catching her breath when the two fought, carefully making her way over to the satellite’s control box, just in case Astra’d try anything, which she did, but unfortunately before Alex had a chance to reach her, let alone stop her. The Myriad transmitter was placed, which was just another thing that didn’t go according to plan, especially when it seemed the thing had disappeared into the box itself.

J’onn pulled her away from it, engaged her in battle again, flew up with her in a grapple. All Alex could do was watch as Astra got back after plummeting to the ground, punched him once, twice, spun around him, drew her blade, and pressed it against his throat all in one fluid motion.

But this, this is when Alex could finally take action. She was so close to them, close enough to reach, and she knew she had to. Was there still a way to change Astra’s heart?

“Fear not, Martian. You will die a soldier’s death.”

Any thought of talking went out of the window in that moment. There wasn’t a time for thinking things through, not with J’onn’s life on the line. Her reaction was instinctive, coming from a place of protectiveness; one moment she hears the words promising his death, the next her sword is buried inside Astra’s chest.

She’s vaguely aware that means she must have unsheathed the sword first, must have moved to make this happen, but she doesn’t remember doing so.

Still in shock over what had just happened—what she’d done—Alex retracted the blade. Astra’s body crumpled the moment whatever support the sword offered was gone, sinking to the ground, in just as much disbelief as Alex.

She’d never reacted without thought before, not like this. Usually there was strategizing and careful analyzing involved, weighing pros and cons even if only for a split second, but not this time. Time, that was the issue: there hadn’t been any time.

Astra was wheezing on the ground because of it, because of her thoughtless call, J’onn hovering over her and looking at Alex with concern, and all Alex could do was lower the sword and think about how none of this was supposed to happen.

Similar instincts pull her to the ground next to Astra, on her knees, searching for the injury, only to find the general already applying pressure to it. She knew it was fatal, they both knew it, and yet Astra hung on to delay the inevitable. Blood started to pool below her rapidly.

Once again, there was not enough time.

Alex doesn’t remember when Kara got here, or when she’d gotten up, but she was watching Astra have a conversation with Kara, the _last_ conversation, exchanging tearful goodbyes.

She couldn’t hear them, not from this distance, not when blood was rushing through her ears, not when her head was pounding, but she could see them. She could see Astra go slack. She’d just killed the hostile general, but she was more than just a hostile. It doesn’t feel like a victory, it just feels like she’s killed Kara’s aunt, her last tie to Krypton, a woman whose only wish was to save everyone.

Astra went slack, and she doesn’t know if she screamed aloud or only in her head, but something shifted when she did.

Everything stopped moving.

Every _one_ stopped moving.

Time was frozen, but Astra was still dead. Until she wasn’t. Until she could see their conversation in reverse, until she could see Kara leave, until she could see Astra get back up in a bizarre reverse fall, until Astra was holding J’onn at knifepoint again.

Had she just done that?

There’s no way she actually just reversed time, Alex decides, she must have hallucinated killing Astra. Lesson learned, she wasn’t going to stab Astra, doesn’t want to kill her and break Kara’s heart along with it.

“Fear not, Martian. You will die a soldier’s death.”

She won’t stab Astra, but that brought her back to her initial problem: J’onn is in danger and is about to be killed by the very woman she refuses to kill.

Her response is different this time, but it’s as instinctive as the last. With the sword back in its sheath on her back Alex reached out, making a futile move towards the knife to take it from her, while yelling “Wait, no! Astra—“

But she was too late, too slow. Astra ignored her pleas, clearly not as open to a change of heart with Alex’s superior in front of her. She slashes the knife across his throat and J’onn didn’t phase to avoid it—couldn’t, perhaps, or maybe thought it futile against her Kryptonian swiftness.

Or, Alex thinks with a heavy heart, maybe he expected to be saved.

Either way, seeing J’onn bleed out wasn’t any less distressing, didn’t feel any less wrong, and she’d just possibly reversed time, hadn’t she, maybe she could do it again.

Could she? She’s not entirely sure how she did it the first time around—hell, she’s not even sure that’s what happened at all—but she knows she was anguished. Perhaps it was the emotion that triggered it, maybe if she’d focus on that feeling, maybe if she believed it to be possible... Maybe...

Astra turns towards her, seemingly remorseful. “I’m sorry it had to be this way, agent Danvers,” she says as she approaches Alex, but there is a bloodied knife in her hand that she hasn’t dropped and it does nothing to reassure her.

Her hand itches to grab a hold of her sword to have some sort of defense in case this forsaken time travel thing didn’t work out. But damnit, she won’t stab Astra, especially not when J’onn is dying too—he only has a few seconds left, she knows—so instead she asks warily, “What now? Are you going to kill me next?”

_Come on, stupid time control ability. Work!_

Astra eyes the sword on her back briefly. “Are you going to make me?”

“Are you going through with your plan?”

“I have to.”

It’s all Alex has to hear to know this isn’t a reality she wants to live in. Astra will proceed with her plan—whatever it entails cannot possibly be good if she refuses to work with Kara—and it’s too late to convince her otherwise. She’s missed her window, Astra’s made her choice. In between that and J’onn breathing his last breath, Alex feels strongly enough to get the hell out, _now_.

There is no screaming when time reverses this time, no confusion as Astra walks backwards and un-slices his throat, only bafflement that this is actually a thing she can do, that it wasn’t some weird hallucination. Provided she’s not hallucinating right now.

She pinches herself for good measure to check, finding she is definitely awake and aware. Time resumes at the same point it had before, with Astra towering over J’onn, knife back at his throat.

No stabbing Astra, and just words won’t be enough.

Maybe just threatening to hurt her will be enough to stop her, maybe no one has to be hurt, maybe just the kryptonite presence will be enough—

“Fear not, Martian. You will die a soldier’s death.”

There’s no time to think things through any further. Consciously, Alex grabs her sword and rushes forward, putting it to Astra’s throat with her right hand and pulling her away from J’onn with her left, which encircles her waist. “Drop the knife,” she hisses, and prays it will be enough, hopes she will listen, hopes Astra doesn’t know she won’t act on the threat this time, hopes—

Hope gets her nothing when Astra surprises her by _partially_ obliging. She drops the knife just as asked, but she does so in favor of grabbing Alex’s arm and throwing her off, several feet away. Her back hits the ground hard and knocks the wind out of her, skidding to a halt across the rough material, something her back doesn’t appreciate.

There’s no time to be concerned with scrapes on her back however when Astra advances on her dangerously, J’onn forgotten.

“You think you can threaten _me_?” She growls, on top of her in a flash, and it takes Alex a moment to notice the knife that’s back in her hand. “Bravery will only get you so far.”

“Astra, wait, please. Listen to me.”

But Astra prepares her strike and all Alex can do is brace herself for the impact, one that will probably kill her. The expected blow doesn’t come however, when the next moment a green piece of metal protrudes from Astra’s chest. Alex had barely noticed she was missing her weapon, and now J’onn was holding it and pulling it back from her body.

_For fuck’s sake._

Frustrated, Alex tries to reverse time again, and finds she actually succeeds with just that frustration fueling her. She sees the sword go back in and out of Astra, sees J’onn slinking away to put the sword back where he found it as Astra is speaking, and that’s where she loses her focus and time resumes.

“Bravery will only get you—“

“J’onn, stop!” Alex calls out, interjecting, causing Astra to look at him as he is reaching for the abandoned kryptonite sword. She feels more so than hears Astra growl, the rumble reverberating through her bones before she gets up.

Just like that Astra and J’onn get engaged in a third round of fighting, and Alex groans, trying to follow the two as they speed around each other.

“Astra, please,” Alex starts, once again trying to plead even though the woman is in battle; she knows Astra can hear her despite it. “It doesn’t have to be this way. You can still help us—help _Kara_.”

There is no immediate response, the blurs only pausing when Astra is trying to get a hold of the Martian, but fails to do so when he phases out of the way. She decides it’s better to fly off rather than attempt another hit after that, J’onn immediately giving chase, the blurs continuing to circle around her.

She takes the opportunity to continue her plea. “You said you were going to save us. Kara is doing the same. Think about it, Astra! You could be a family again, work together with her. Isn’t that what you want?”

Astra is in front of her before Alex could notice the change in direction, and she can’t keep herself from jumping slightly. She curses herself for it.

“Do not presume to know me,” she snarls, before she is thrown away from Alex, J’onn coming to a rescue she didn’t need.

He doesn’t lose his focus, storming over to the thrown form and Alex doesn’t register what is happening—it all went so fast—until she hears a panicked shriek coming from Astra and sees her form drop to the ground just when she’s gotten back to her feet.

She can see J’onn’s kryptonite knife protruding from her chest, and it takes everything for Alex not to spontaneously combust.

“Seriously?!” Alex yells as she stalks over to a panting J’onn. “The heart?! You couldn’t have aimed at her shoulder or something?!”

A frown crosses his face, but to his credit he looks appropriately mournful. “Alex—“

“No! I am so done with the two of you trying to kill each other! We brought handcuffs, J’onn, we brought them for a fucking reason!” She pulls the inactive kryptonite cuffs off her belt for good measure.

“Alex, you didn’t see the way she fought. She didn’t leave me a—“

“Don’t tell me she didn’t leave you a choice when there was one right there when you just stabbed her. That was _your_ choice. You could have—“

“Agent Danvers,” he interrupts sternly, making Alex clench her jaw. The reminder of how he was her superior and she just had to listen to him did not sit well with her right now. “General Astra was an enemy. She tried to kill me several times.”

“She’s Kara’s aunt,” Alex objects. “And I’m trying to keep _both_ of you alive. I just don’t know how.”

She shakes her head and starts pacing, her mind racing a mile a minute to try to figure something out. Going back is pointless if she can’t figure out what to do when she gets there in the first place, when she’s just going to have to watch them die over and over again.

Alex stops after a moment and turns back to J’onn. “Do you have any idea how many times I’ve watched either of you die?”

Confusion is written clearly on his face, as clear as his emotions can be expressed, as he tried to wrap his mind around what she was saying.

Sighing, Alex pointed to her head. “Read my mind, J’onn. You’ll see.”

The images of the four incidents flash before her mind’s eye, as well as the memories in between of reversing time, her distress and temporary acceptance; she still wasn’t fully convinced this is reality and not some hallucination. It would be her luck that this is what a Black Mercy would deem her perfect fantasy life.

Well, it would have a point. Having super powers, trying to save Kara’s beloved (evil) aunt, having to solve a conundrum before succeeding...

Because she would. Succeed, that is.

“Do you know how to control this ability?”

J’onn’s voice breaks her out of her thoughts, shaking her head. “Not completely. It’s getting easier, but I’m not sure I can do it again.”

Her control had been volatile at best, based on luck more so than actual skill, but she doesn’t have a choice. If she can’t do it again all of this will have been for naught, Kara will still have her heart be broken, and they miss out on a very powerful possible ally.

“Try it,” he encourages. “Focus on the image before you and guide it with your mind.”

J’onn makes it sound so simple that Alex doubts this will actually work, but he _is_ a psychic, so if anyone knows how to control this it should be him. So Alex does as he instructed and focuses, brings the visual in front of her into her head and imagines it going back in time. She can see J’onn talk, but she’s not sure if this is forward or backward for she doesn’t hear what he’s saying. He speaks again, and it breaks her focus.

“Do you know how to control this ability?”

Same inflection and expression as before; she definitely turned back time then. The realization brings a smile to her face, and she focuses again, reverses for good measure, just a little bit.

“Do you know how to control this ability?”

Her smile broadens, “Yes, I do. Thanks, J’onn.”

J’onn looks confused for a moment, but seems to catch on quickly enough that he must have given her the help he’d been planning to give her. A nod. “Good luck, Alex.”

Now that she knows she can reverse time she has enough peace of mind to actually strategize on what to do next. Clearly making Astra feel threatened isn’t going to be helpful. On the other hand it’s somewhat of a necessity, or J’onn will be the one to lose his life. What could convince Astra to stop? She’d been so close before...

Maybe she should ask the woman in question. She appeared willing enough to talk once she’d killed J’onn.

The chances are small, but it’s a chance nonetheless and it’s all she’s got right now. So Alex focuses, heart already aching over the prospect of going to stand idly by as the man that just helped her control these abilities will be killed.

Watching the fight in reverse and being in control of the flow of time, Alex can’t help her curiosity and slows it down momentarily. Backwards or not, she can see now what J’onn had been talking about; there is a force behind Astra’s every strike, a lethality behind every carefully calculated move. Moving behind him, the punch to his heart only missing because he phased, and even then it’s followed by a backwards kick that he barely catches before it would have hit his kidneys.

It’s as glorious to watch Astra fight as it is utterly terrifying. If this woman truly wanted to kill her Alex wouldn’t stand a chance, kryptonite or not.

Steeling her resolve, Alex goes back as far as she can. Unsurprisingly, that ends her up at the same moment as before: J’onn behind held at knifepoint.

“Fear not, Martian. You will die a soldier’s death.”

Alex is silent this time as Astra is about to slice his throat, looking at J’onn regretfully. His eyes find hers when he bleeds out this time, and it shakes her to her core. The desperation to catch one last glimpse of the woman he cares for like she’s his own daughter, the peace and acceptance when he does; it only strengthens her resolve to save him.

She vows this is the last time she watches him die.

Astra stands over him for a moment—has been there by his side as he was bleeding out—and Alex swears her expression is almost mournful when she finally turns to her. “I’m sorry it had to be this way, agent Danvers.”

It’s just like last time. Astra advances on her while armed with the bloodied knife, but there is no threat behind it; she doesn’t seem to be planning an attack.

Good.

Alex reaches for her sword, slowly extracts it and makes sure not to look at Astra to appear as little threatening as possible, but she can see the woman tense from her peripherals. Once fully out of its sheath Alex tosses it aside, at least 10 feet behind her, before looking at Astra. “I’m not gonna fight you, Astra. I just want to talk.”

Astra tilts her head in that confused puppy kind of way, so similar to Kara, and then raises an incredulous eyebrow. “I just killed your director and you still merely want to talk? Why?”

“Because it _doesn’t_ have to be this way.”

She laughs then, like Alex has truly lost her mind this time. Not like she can blame Astra; to her time is linear, and the deed is done. “If you think there is a way to come back from this you are naive. I’ve chosen my side.”

Shaking her head, Alex responds, “Reality isn’t set in stone, not yet. You can still change sides, but not in this timeline, I know that.”

Her eyes narrow. “What are you talking about?”

“Time travel. Or reversing time, whatever, just... I can go back. I can save J’onn, but so far it seems that means you die instead. I’m trying to save both of you, but if you want to live I’m going to need your help.”

Alex figures honesty is the best way to go here. Even if it isn’t, it’s not like Astra will remember anything after she turns back time, she can try again with a different approach.

Astra’s eyes stay narrowed, silently taking a moment to process the concept in front of her, before she speaks. “What’s stopping me from just killing you right here and proceeding with my plan?”

“Because you can’t,” Alex bluffs. “I’ll just keep reversing time before you succeed.”

She’s really not certain she can respond in time if Astra were to use her Kryptonian speed, but she has to believe she could. Thankfully, she doesn’t make Alex test that theory.

Astra sighs in apparent defeat, though she remains on guard, hand clenching around her knife. “If what you’re saying is true, tell me something only I would know.”

Alex raises an eyebrow. “Like what?”

“My first battle scar.”

“Alright, where is it?”

“That’s what I’m asking you.”

Closing her eyes briefly to collect herself and not snap at her that if she wants proof, she’s going to need to work with her here, Alex explains, “I haven’t gone back yet, you still have to tell me.”

“Right, of course. Left shoulder blade, a blaster burn.”

Alex inclines her head and Astra freezes on the spot, before the latter part of the conversation reverses itself. Might as well get this over with as quickly as possible.

“—tell me something only I would know.”

“You first battle scar is a blaster burn on your left shoulder blade,” she answers easily.

Astra’s expression softens somewhat. There’s a subtle pull at the corner of her mouth before she seems to remember herself and schools it back into something more neutral. “And how did I get it?”

“Seriously?” She really expected to be sharing the entire story behind it too? Who has time for that?

“Kara could have told you this.”

“Oh, and she couldn’t have told me _how_ you got it?”

She shakes her head, “No, I never told her.”

“You didn’t tell me either,” Alex sighs. No point in getting angry at this Astra for the past Astra not telling her the complete story. All she can do now is make sure she gets all the information before going back.

A steeling breath and Astra inclines her head. “I defied orders on my first mission. It should have been simple, some rebels were trying to conquer a village near a drilling site. I was told to stay put while they were executing the civilians they’d taken hostage. I saw an opportunity to save them all, but unfortunately got caught in the crossfire.”

Astra breathes out a laugh to herself. “I was reckless enough to get shot by one of our own. Down before I could be of help to anyone.”

The corners of her own lips curl up in amusement before she can stop it. Alex can just imagine a green Astra out on the field, brave and stubborn, refusing to watch innocent people die. She hasn’t changed much in that regard, evidently, still the same savior complex. “How did that end?”

“They succeeded in saving the majority, of course. Had I listened we may have saved one more, but ultimately my presence—or absence—didn’t change much in the grand scheme of things.”

“Let me guess... You only told Kara that part.”

“You guess right.”

“Is that all you’re going to ask?” The temptation to linger with this surprisingly open Astra is big, especially when that soft smile on her face is making her look... No, no time to dwell, Alex hasn’t forgotten why she’s really here. “No other questions to throw me off?”

The hand around the dagger flexes, and just like that General Astra is back. “Yes, that is all.”

Alex nods and goes back without another word. No use in thanking her for sharing a story that’s told for the sake of convenience, especially not when Astra isn’t going to remember it anyway. She goes back, though she lingers longer than she should at watching Astra tell her story. It’s just nice to see a different side of her, a side Alex can’t help but marvel at and wonder if this is the side Kara has known since she was a kid.

But still, she has to save J’onn.

“And how did I get it?” Astra asks.

“First mission recklessness,” Alex starts. The faint smile is not something Alex is aware of showing, but it’s there. “Shot by one of your fellow soldiers when trying to save civilians, against orders.”

If Astra softened before at the mention of her scar, she relaxes almost completely now. She sheathes the dagger, though they both know it doesn’t make her any less dangerous or powerful. The gesture is reassuring however. “What do you need my help for, agent Danvers?”

“How do I stop you from killing J’onn?”

Astra smiles wryly. “I’m afraid stabbing me would be the only way.”

Yes, well, that is a method Alex has indeed noticed would help, though admittedly she hasn’t tried to go for a non-lethal spot yet. She’d prefer not stabbing the woman at all. “Is there a way to stop you without injuring you?”

“Why do you care?”

“You’re Kara’s aunt,” Alex answers immediately. That answer is always on the tip of her tongue when it comes to defending Astra to any capacity.

Astra doesn’t buy into it however, and shakes her head. “That explains why you wish to save my life, not why you prefer me unharmed. I’m certain Kara wouldn’t care about whether or not I’m injured.” She tilts her head and takes a slow step closer to Alex. Then another. “Why do you really care?”

While Astra has a point, she seems to truly believe her niece no longer cares about her, but Alex knows better. She knows Kara would be hurt if her aunt got hurt, even if she wouldn’t admit it aloud. However in the greater picture Astra is right: Kara will undoubtedly forgive her for injuring Astra if push comes to shove.

Still, Alex would rather not. “Does it matter why?”

The woman smiles at her like she’s seen it coming, “If you are to turn back time after our talk, why not indulge yourself, agent? Be honest with yourself.”

Alex licks her lip nervously. Astra is only a few paces away from her now, almost close enough to reach out and touch her. If she tried and stretched a little, she probably could.

“I told you I liked you, once,” she continues as she takes another step, her final step closer. A lightly bent arm reaches out and tucks a strand of Alex’s hair behind her ear, making her heart jump. “Do you like me, agent Danvers?”

Astra is so close, and she’s bold like she’s the one in control of time rather than Alex. She knows this won’t be the final timeline, that Alex won’t let it be that way while J’onn is dead, and perhaps that knowledge is enough for her.

Fuck it.

If Astra’s playing this game she may as well take advantage of it and try. So Alex braves a step forward, bringing them close enough together that their chests brush each other upon inhaling. “I might,” she breathes, then surges forward to connect their lips before she can think better of it.

Static is not what she expected to feel, didn’t think her body would respond to Astra like this, and things become much clearer now when she’s pressed against these soft lips of hers. Alex definitely likes Astra, and it’s no wonder the thought of hurting her didn’t sit well Alex, not now that she knows—no, now that she finally acknowledges the feelings that are there.

All this time she’s been repressing it, consciously or subconsciously, buried underneath a million excuses that she conveniently can’t remember when Astra’s tongue slips past her lips and she can actually taste the woman.

Holy shit.

Her head started to swim somewhere during the kiss, and it’s not until Astra pulls back that she realizes it’s because she forgot her body actually needs oxygen to survive. Seeing the expression on her face, Astra smiles at her, warm and amused at the same time. “Go. Save your director,” she says, after which she leans in, bringing their foreheads together, and whispers, “Be brave.”

For a second Alex indulges herself, letting her eyes slip close and revel the close proximity, drawing strength from this moment with this new understanding of herself and Astra both. Perhaps one day she will be able to indulge herself like this again, but she doubts Astra will like her very much after being stabbed, regardless of whether or not it’s for her own good, so if it’ll ever happen Alex doesn’t think it’ll be any time soon.

But here, when there’s no repercussions? How could she not stay a little longer?

Then, when she finally opens her eyes again, she presses her mental ‘rewind’ button and goes back. No final words spoken, she knows she won’t be able to leave if she does, because this isn’t a goodbye. Her head throbs when she passes the moment of proving her ability to Astra, a throbbing that doesn’t stop the further back she goes, until it feels like her head is about to explode. She grits her teeth through the pain, has to see J’onn alive again, does see it, and then promptly collapses.

“Fear not—“

“Shit!” Alex yells, grabbing her pounding head. This is bad, this wasn’t supposed to happen, she needs to stop Astra, needs to save J’onn, but just the mere thought of moving hurts like hell.

Her shout drew both J’onn’s and Astra’s attention however, and J’onn takes the distraction as opportunity to get away and rush to her side. “Alex!”

Astra’s looking at her too, a concerned albeit confused frown on her face. “What happened to you?” She looks like she wants to approach and care for Alex too, but she can’t and instead anxiously shifts where she’s standing.

It doesn’t matter what happened to her, she needs to get through to Astra before she remembers she wants her director dead. “Hey Astra, remember... your first mission?” She pants, blood dripping from her nose, something she barely registers. “You are the one civilian... that could have been saved.”

Astra’s face goes through one hell of a journey; confused, to conflicted, to angry, back to confused, until she’s back to conflicted. Right when Alex feels she is starting to slip her way, black creeping up on her peripherals, Astra reaches her decision.

“You need to get her medical attention.”

“I can’t just let you go.”

“This isn’t a time for battle!” With a growl Astra disappears for a second before she returns, transmitter tossed to the ground and then promptly destroyed by her heel. “There. I surrender and I will follow you. Will that suffice?”

The last thing Alex senses is being jostled as J’onn lifts her in his arms, along with a grumbled, “Fine.”

\-----

When the darkness of unconsciousness clears Alex still feels a light pressure on her head, but nothing she particularly minds. What does bother her however is just how dry her mouth and throat feel. She stirs, intending to find something to drink as soon as she gets up, but there is a gentle but firm pressure on her shoulders that keeps her glued to the bed.

“Easy,” a voice warns.

Alex isn’t immediately aware of who is speaking. It’s a feminine voice, but it doesn’t sound like Kara, who she expected to be here when she woke up. She must still be out on the field, or she would certainly be here. It’s not Susan either, she knows that voice like the back of her hand. Only after mentally checking those two is Alex able to connect the voice to Astra.

The realization has her eyes shooting open immediately, meeting Astra’s green ones. They’re fairly unreadable, but Alex doesn’t spot any hostility in them and can thus relax. Enough to look away long enough to figure out she is in the DEO’s infirmary, and not being kept hostage in Fort Rozz or something.

“Do you remember what happened?”

Alex frowns as she thinks back; her memories seem fragmented at best. She remembers shooting at Astra, almost convincing Astra to defer to their side, J’onn fighting Astra before she could switch, and then... She killed Astra, but she didn’t, because clearly Astra is right here and seemingly unscathed. She remembers J’onn being killed too, multiple times, and remembers him killing Astra, and she remembers _kissing Astra_.

Right. Time travel.

None of that had happened because she collapsed, breaking the two aliens up through their concern for her.

“I think so,” Alex rasps.

“Good,” Astra smiles sweetly—too sweetly; this is bad, it has to be. Indeed the smile fades as quickly as it appeared, turning dead serious and slightly intimidating. “Then you can explain to me how _you_ know about my first mission.”

“I...” Alex stops herself. She isn’t sure how much she should divulge or if she wants to divulge anything to anyone at all, but none of that matters right now when her throat is so painfully scratchy and dry. “Water,” she manages to croak out.

Despite her unchanged disgruntled expression, Astra does hand Alex a cup with a straw that had been waiting beside her bed. She takes it and gratefully takes some small sips, and the relief just that little bit of water provides has her struggling not to down the entire thing in a single gulp. Now with her mind no longer screaming for water, she can finally think a little more clearly.

Clearly enough to realize that Astra should not logically be allowed to be here with her on her own.

“No offense, but shouldn’t you be in a cell somewhere?”

“Your director allowed me to stay with you,” she answers impatiently, raising her other arm and revealing a kryptonite emitter encircling her wrist. “Within reason.” Astra sneers subtly at the thing, before putting her arm back down and going back to ignoring it’s there. “So are you going to answer my question or not?”

Alex takes a couple more sips of her water, giving her some time to decide, after which she simply says, “You told me.”

Frowning, Astra searches her for any tells on whether or not she’s lying. When she appears to find none of them—because she spoke the truth, thank you very much—she asks, “When? I don’t recall doing so.”

“How long have I been out for?”

“A few hours.”

“A few hours ago then,” she answers, taking another sip. “Or never, technically speaking.”

The frown lingers another moment or two, before it dawns on her. “Time control. But how?”

“Beats me,” Alex shrugs, wincing a little when it pulls on the scratches on her back. Clearly reversing time hadn’t applied to her own body. “One moment I’m watching you die, the next you’re alive and about to kill J’—Director Henshaw. Again.”

“How many times did you go back?”

“I don’t know, too many.”

Astra hums, “Too many indeed. No wonder you lost consciousness.” She’s lost in thought for a second, perhaps remembering stories she’s heard about time traveling, or imagining how she’d deal with it. “Did I tell you anything else?”

‘Be brave,’ Astra’s voice echoes in her head. With the way the woman is looking at her, Alex knows she has her suspicions. No matter the timeline, Astra must have drawn her conclusions from Alex going out of her way to save her. The same conclusions that had led to their kiss.

She let Astra do the work last time, let her take the risk, irrelevant timeline or not. Astra isn’t stupid, she must have known it would influence the eventual timeline for Alex would now know about her feelings.

But here there is more to consider than just the two of them. Here there is Kara to consider, and the DEO, and Astra’s husband, and everyone else.

Which is something they could deal with together, and not right now.

Be brave.

“Yes,” Alex finally answers, ignoring the wildly pounding heart inside of her chest. She leans forward, closes in on Astra and enters her personal space, reaching out a hand to tuck a strand of hair behind Astra’s ear, like she had done to Alex that non-existent time. When there is no sign of Astra pulling back or having any objection, Alex whispers “This,” as she closes the distance between their lips and presses them against hers.

It’s gentle at first, but intensifies quickly when Astra appears to fully catch up with the situation and responds in turn. The jolt of electricity still courses through her veins this time, the thrill of reciprocated feelings and a mission successful, and Alex thinks she could never tire of this.

“Alex?!”

Kara’s voice startles them and has them pulling apart, both looking at a shocked and somewhat roughed up Supergirl. Alex and Astra share a wide-eyed look with each other.

“Can you still...” Astra prompts, and Alex could just kiss the woman again for that brilliant suggestion alone.

And she will, just a little bit shorter so they don’t get caught again.

She focuses on the scene before her, attempts to reverse it in her mind the way she had before, when it had been easy. However, much to her dismay, nothing about Astra’s deer-in-headlights expression reverses or changes at all, and Alex’s look turns somewhat pained. “Nope, we’re stuck.”

“Kara, we can explain.”


End file.
